g(m1)-ganglioside and Graves-Disease

Anti-fucosyl-GM1 ganglioside antibodies were detected in sera of five persons: four patients with autoimmune neuropathies and more recently, IgG antibodies in one with Graves' disease (Adler et al., Autoimmunity 18, 149-152, 1994) [1]. In the latter case, we were unable to find any relation between the occurrence of antibodies and thyroid disease. Now we report a detailed study on the anti-glycolipid antibodies in this patient. We found that her serum contained not only IgG but also a high level of anti-FucGM1 IgM antibodies, with a titer stable over a period of 5 years of treatment and follow-up. The carbohydrate structure of the epitope recognized by IgG and some of IgM antibodies seems to consist of Fuc-Gal-GalNAc-Gal- or a part of this sequence. Moreover, this patient's serum contained other IgM antibodies active against FucGM1 and also asialo GM1 glycolipids. Our results indicate that anti-FucGM1 ganglioside antibodies of G and M classes occur in serum of this patient with no apparent adverse health effects.

Topics: Antibody Specificity; Autoantibodies; Carbohydrate Sequence; Cross Reactions; Female; G(M1) Ganglioside; Graves Disease; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin M; Middle Aged; Molecular Sequence Data; Nervous System Diseases; Neutralization Tests

In Graves' disease an increased immunological activity against glycoconjugate antigens is observed. Since gangliosides seem to be important for thyroid stimulation we searched for the presence of antiganglioside antibodies in Graves' patients sera by the immunoenzymatic method. Antibodies against some of 12 different gangliosides used in this study were found in 22% of the patients. However, in most cases the titer of antiganglioside antibodies was very low. Only the serum from one patient reacted with FucGM1 ganglioside at the dilution up to 1:1300. Anti-FucGM1 antibodies were present in serum samples of this patient taken before and during the treatment when she was hyper-hypo- and euthyroid. The lack of relation of the anti-FucGM1 antibody titer to the thyroid status of this patient, and the very low titer of antiganglioside antibodies in sera of some other patients, suggest that the presence of these antibodies has no close connection to the thyroid disease.

Topics: Autoantibodies; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; G(M1) Ganglioside; Gangliosides; Graves Disease; Humans; Middle Aged

Topics: Adult; Antibody Specificity; Autoantibodies; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; G(M1) Ganglioside; Gangliosides; Graves Disease; Humans; Thyroid Gland

Topics: Autoantibodies; Complement Fixation Tests; G(M1) Ganglioside; Glycosphingolipids; Graves Disease; Humans; Thyroiditis, Autoimmune